Sunday, March 22, 2009

Recently I had lunch with my friend Debbie and made a side trip to Williams-Sonoma. That's a dangerous trip for a foodie. It's kind of like being a drunk in a liquor store! Especially since while I was there I got a call from my tax preparer and was feeling flush. I was intrigued by an odd looking pan with circular wells. The label showed filled pancakes that had been made in it. The light and round filled pancakes are Danish Ebelskivers. Wow, the possibilities it presented. I hemmed and hawed and rationalized and finally turned over my plastic to take this home. It had a recipe on the packaging that looked really good. The next morning I thought I'd give it a try even though I didn't have a lot of time. I looked at my watch and then at the recipe and thought, "WWSLD?".......What Would Sandra Lee Do? So I pulled Aunt Jemima out of the cupboard and added buttermilk instead of water,thinking it would give it some lightness. Well, they were good, but not light. Actually they were a little heavy, but some maple syrup cured all ills. The next time I decided to try the recipe on the pan's package. It definitely was better and the lighter way to go. I dropped a giant blackberry into the middle of each one, and served with some powdered sugar and berries. A drizzle of real maple syrup sweetened the deal. They make breakfast or brunch fun as you add whatever fillings suit your taste. They are easier to make than it looks. I envisioned them sticking to the pan or not getting done inside and a few other scenarios. Don't throw in the towel......none of that happened.....give it a try. This recipe makes about 40. That may seem like a lot, but I had no trouble polishing off seven.

Syrup or whipped cream for servingIn a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. In a small bowl, lightly whisk the egg yolks, then whisk in the milk and the 4 tablespoons of melted butter (cooled to room temperature). Whisk the yolk mixture into the flour mixture until well combined; the batter will be lumpy.

In another bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff but not dry peaks form, about 2 to 3 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, gently stir the whites into the batter in two additions.

Put 1/4 teaspoon butter in each well of the Filled Pancake Pan. Set over medium heat and heat until the butter begins to bubble. Pour 1 tablespoon of batter into each well. Put 1 teaspoon of the filling of choice in the center of each pancake and top with 1 more tablespoon batter. Cook until the bottoms are golden brown and crispy; 3 to 5 minutes. Using 2 wooden skewers, flip the pancakes over and cook until golden and crispy, about 3 minutes more. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining batter and filling. Serve immediately with syrup or whipped cream.Makes about 40.Written and photographed by Diane.